Meet the 2024 GCA Board Candidates

Alex Han-Voth, a devoted resident of Detroit for 13 years and of the Grandmont community for the last 5, holds a fervent passion for environmental conservation and neighborhood beautification. As a dedicated volunteer, Alex has made significant contributions to the community, most notably organizing a neighborhood tree planting event that enriched the Grandmont landscape with 95 new trees. His primary goal is to enhance the relationship between the Grandmont Community Association (GCA) and its residents, working tirelessly to ensure the neighborhood retains its allure and continues to be a desired place to live in the future.

I am a daughter of Grandmont.   When I represent Detroit, it’s this neighborhood that I represent with pride because it’s where I was raised, where I returned to raise my own, and has been a place of opportunity for me at various phases of my life. I had no idea when I was a GCA scholarship recipient in 2003 that I would return years later to support the Northwest Detroit Farmers Market through Americorps, which put me on the path of non-profit work that I remain on today as the Director of Events & Communications for Belle Isle Conservancy. Nor did I know that I would later return to our community as a homeowner just blocks from my childhood home. But as I present my interest in candidacy for the GCA board of directors, it feels like a full circle moment to have an opportunity to serve the community that set me on my life’s path, where I can contribute my time and talents to ensuring that the Grandmont that my child grows up in is one that she can be proud of and one that affords her access to a solid foundation to continue the cycle of commitment to community.

My name is Kavivi Muli. I am a proud resident of the Grandmont Community Association (GCA) with a background in Intensive Care Nursing and a profound interest in Climate Justice. I am the West Side Representative of the Detroit Disaster Recovery Group, an initiative founded in 2014 from the needs that arose in Detroit from the ongoing flooding caused by a combination of failing infrastructure and changing weather patterns that we collectively refer to as Climate Change. In serving my community, I plan to continue to engage our elected representatives to ensure prioritization of the health and sustainability of our community through education, grant sourcing and funding, and collaboration. My passion for research and nursing has exposed me to the growing trend of health concerns that plague our communities and that correlate with our ever-changing climate as well as the footprint of various industries embedded in our neighborhoods. I currently serve as a volunteer Block Captain in the GCA and I am vying for a position on the board to expand my advocacy impact in my community. I will pledge my time as a member of the board to advocate for my neighbors, as well as support the mission and vision of the GCA. I welcome the support, input and collaboration of my neighbors in this endeavor. Thank you in anticipation of your vote.

My name is Diane Patterson, and I am currently a GCA board member running for re-election for a two-year term. I have been actively involved in our community since moving to Grandmont in the 70’s. Currently, I represent Grandmont on the GRDC Vacant Property Task Force Committee with Ethel Smith. I also work with our Environmental Committee. My goal is to maintain and improve our history of activism, home pride and neighborhood recognition going forward into our 100 years as a Community Organization. I hope to encourage newer residents to honor our legacy as the “Home of Good Neighbors” by continued support and involvement.

My name is Robert Patterson and I’m a long time resident of our Grandmont neighborhood. I am currently on the GCA Board and serve as our Treasurer. I’m asking for your vote to continue to uphold our strong community spirit and preserve, protect, and  improve our quality of life for all Grandmont neighbors. I am also committed to working on the “Sunrise Side” of Southfield in Grandmont while working together with our adjacent communities to strengthen our collective voices to build a better Detroit.

Edward Smith is a long time Grandmont Community Association resident and current board member. I am seeking the community’s support for the upcoming 2024-2026 term. Additionally, I serve as The Ramsay Park committee chair and take on all park responsibilities. Volunteering whenever needed on the Beautification/Garden Club Committee, Youth & Education Committee, Art Fair and By-Laws Committee, and I am the Block Captain for my Block. It would be my pleasure to continue serving the Community as a member of the Board of Directors in the Grandmont Community Association, and to help maintain Grandmont to be one of the best neighborhoods to live in.